


A little bit of home

by Llana



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston-Fandom, tom hiddleston actor
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-08 02:27:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12854775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llana/pseuds/Llana
Summary: An ask from another Tom Hiddleston fan.  “Where it’s his bday but he's not able to be with his family so you bake him a Colin the Caterpillar hoping it would raise his spirits, please and thank you”





	A little bit of home

You sat at your laptop typing away while talking to your editor on the phone. Finding the couch much more comfortable to work on a couple chapters of your book. That was where you were for the last few hours trying to work on the next story in the trilogy you were writing. Macey, your editor, had called to check up on you and the progress you were making. The two of you had been chatting for almost ten minutes when Tom came through the front door, bringing a gust of cold air behind him. Shivering hard, you had forgotten how frigid it was outside.

Tom was on location in Canada for another project. It was one of the few times you were able to join him. Most of the crew had been staying in this lovely area of British Columbia in log cabins. Had your boyfriend not been so busy with the film, it would have been the perfect romantic retreat. Instead, it was a good place for you to work in the beauty and quiet.

After closing the door and peeling off his jacket and shoes, Tom walked past you towards the kitchen. He did not acknowledge you being there, or even really seem to notice you seated on the couch. There was a distinct frown on his face as he looked to be in his own thoughts.

“Macey can I call you tomorrow?” When she agreed, you hung up the phone, watching Tom in the kitchen setting the kettle on the stove to make a cup of tea. “Tom are you alright?”

Hearing your voice pulled him from the thoughts that were distracting him. “Oh darling… Yes I’m sorry.” He walked back towards you, wrapping his arms around you before leaning down to kiss your lips. “It’s been a day, and I am utterly exhausted.”

“You have been working too hard, baby. You need a day off with nothing to do but sleep and a cup of tea when you wake up.”

“As wonderful as that sounds, it won’t be for a few more days at least. With the storms last week, we are behind schedule. I swear, though, my first day off I refuse to leave bed.” You grinned, before waggling your brows up at him.

“I think that sounds like a perfect day off. Maybe it will be for your birthday.” His brows rose as though this was a new revelation to him.

“Bloody hell, I completely forgot my birthday is coming in a few days.” Laughing you kissed his cheek before moving to the kitchen to retrieve two mugs.

“How does one forget their birthday? Like, I have a whole birthday month.” Tom sat at the kitchen table as you fixed the tea for you both.

“I remember darling. Anytime you wanted something or whined you said ‘but it’s my birthday month’.” Laughing loudly you sat the mug in front of him, taking the seat across from him.

“I do not whine…” The look he sent you across the table had you laughing again. As he sat quietly, drinking his tea you realized how truly tired and down he looked. “Is there something you want to do for your birthday?”

“To be honest, I just want a quiet day to sleep and then a lovely dinner with you. Something by the fire, perhaps.” Last year on his birthday, it was the first time you met his family. Tom had been so happy and wanted to show you around the place where he grew up. Now looking at him this year he seemed the complete opposite. You were unsure of how to take it.

The rest of the night his morose mood continued. As much as you tried to get him to smile and laugh, nothing lasted. He went to bed early and was out of the house before dawn. When he did not kiss you goodbye as he usually did, you knew it was time to pull him out of his dazed melancholy. When you got up in the morning the first thing you did was call his mom, Diana.

“Oh, [Y/N], darling I am so happy to hear from you. How are you? Is my boy well?” You sighed not sure how to begin.

“Actually that’s why I’m calling. Tom has been completely unlike himself. He is exhausted from work and just so down. I wanted to do something to cheer him up and I needed to see if you had any ideas. His birthday is in a few days and I don’t know what to do to make him feel better.” Once you began, all the words just seemed to fall out quickly. You could only hope Diana had understood you.

“Tom is such a hard worker. Even if it is to his detriment.” She went on to tell you a few stories of Tom’s younger years and birthdays. You realized this was the first birthday in many years that he was not home with his family for his birthday. Spending time with those he loved was something so important to him. Maybe it was one of the things that was causing the gloom.

 

Over the new three days, you went out of your way to spoil the shit out of your boyfriend. The first day you surprised him on set with a thermos of his favorite tea and lunch. Tom was surprised and gave you a beautiful smile when he saw you. When he asked what the occasion was, your response was, “It’s your birthday week love.”

He laughed, calling you mad but telling you how much he loved you. That night you made lasagna and apple crumb cake, two of his favorite recipes of yours. From there it just continued until his actual birthday with a hot bath when he got home one of the nights, to a special breakfast before he went to work. On February 9th, you got up around eight to start on the elaborate plans you had for the day. Tom had not made it home until nearly 1am that morning and would not be coherent until much later in the day. It was perfect for what you had to do.

After a coffee and bagel breakfast you set out to the shops to buy all the supplies you needed. It ended up being far more than you had planned but isn’t that how it always goes? When you returned to the cabin and the groceries were put away, you got to work. The wine was chilling and chicken marinating for later. The dinner prep was first. You wanted to make sure it would be ready to just pop in to cook while you tried to wrangle the dessert preparation. That would take the longest.

And long it did take. Several hours of baking, cutting,, careful rolling then icing before it was ready. While it was not the prettiest thing you had ever made it still looked delicious. You only hoped that Tom would like it, or would fake it if he did not.

The rest of the afternoon went by quietly, until it was time to start dinner. As you placed the chicken to roast you heard the shower upstairs turn on, finally he was awake. Everything was working out exactly as planned. By the time Tom came downstairs the small dining area table had been set with candles and a small pretty centerpiece. The food was still cooking but he looked happier than he had in weeks. “Darling whatever it is you are cooking smells divine. I can’t believe you have done all this.”

He walked up behind you wrapping his arms around your waist as you sautéed the asparagus. The light kiss he placed on your neck sent a thrill through you. “Tom, it’s your birthday. I would have done far more if we were at home. Would you like your birthday presents now or after dinner?”

“Presents? As in more than one?” Tom sound intrigued. Taking the pan off the burner before you turned to look at him.

“Three actually. Two you can open whenever you like, and the third… well that one is for much later.” Winking, you stole a kiss before working on dishing up the meal.

“Oh I think that one will be my favorite present. But I believe I will open up the others now.” His classic laugh made you grin.

“They are on the coffee table if you want to grab them.” Opening the smaller of the boxes, Tom looked like a child flipping it back and forth in his hands.

“What kind of contraption did you get me? It looks like a watch.” Laughing, you set the food on the table.

“It is a watch. It’s an activity watch actually, and its water proof.” He looked sheepish a moment as he had dropped his last watch in a puddle in London. “With all your running and… well open the other one and see.”  
He picked up the other box, shaking it gently. As he opened it and saw the colorful cover of the book, he narrowed his eyes. “A New Zealand travel guide?”

“Yes for when we go in a few months. Hiking and glaciers… you are going to need that watch to keep up with what we do. Plus with all the waterfalls, we will need something waterproof. Do you know how hard it was to find two weeks in your schedule where you aren’t busy? Trust me, it’s very hard.” The surprise on his face made all the planning worth it.

“We are going to New Zealand? Darling… this is wonderful.” Tom jumped up to hug you close. The kiss that followed made your toes curl. Which made it far more difficult to pry yourself away from him after a few moments.

“Let’s eat before dinner gets cold. We can finish that later.” Dinner turned out lovely; Tom could not stop raving about it. Seeing the man who was normally so happy and easygoing back to his usual self, made your year. Once the dishes had been cleared, it gave you time to sit by the fire with wine in hand, skimming through the travel book. There were several places he wanted to travel to after looking at the bright pictures. That would be something you were going to work on soon. It would be a trip of a lifetime for you.

“Since it is my birthday… would there be perhaps be a bit of cake?” You had almost forgotten about the cake, which had been safely stashed in one of the cabinets.

“Of course there is cake but you had to sit and close your eyes before I bring it out.”

“Close my eyes? Should I be worried?” Taking him by the hand, you led him back to the table.

“No I think I should be worried you will hate it. Now close them.” Tom clasped his hands together in his lap with a mischievous smile on his face.

“Yes, [Y/N] my love. I will close them.” It took a minute but you pulled the cake from the cabinet and put it on the serving platter. Placing a few little candles and lighting them you were ready. You sang the birthday song as you walked into the dining area. Setting the plate before him just as you finished.

“Okay open them.” As soon as he realized what was sitting before him, he covered his facing laughing.

“Oh my God… How did you… You called mum didn’t you? [Y/N] I love it.” In front of him was a Colin the Caterpillar cake. The long chocolate frosted body was covered with mini M&M’s and the face made from yellow and more of the chocolate frosting.

“I know it’s isn’t the real thing but I couldn’t get it here fast enough from …” He turned around pulling you down onto his lap, kissing yours cheeks then nose and lastly your lips.

“This is one of the sweetest and most caring things anyone has ever done for me. These were my favorite when I was a child. Mum, would have them for me, every year after they started making them. Thank you so much, love. I could not have asked for a better birthday.” Hearing that made your heart swell. It was exactly what you wanted, Tom to have a wonderful day.

The cake tasted better than it looked thankfully. However, there was no wrong with chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. Tom’s mood had lifted, leaving behind the gloom. Now his thoughts were of how he would ever repay the thought and caring you had shown him this week and honestly the entire length of your relationship. He could not wait until your next birthday “month”.


End file.
